Disc (UK) - 6 July 1974
Brilliant Bowie…he sang, he danced and the audience loved it Imagine listening to a transistor radio under water. Imagine looking at the moon through the wrong end of a telescope. That's how it was at The Forum in Montreal when David Bowie kicked off his month-long North American tour. The Forum is a huge stadium normally used for ice-hockey games and its acoustics are worse than the Albert Hall's. Even so, Bowie received a 20-minute standing ovation. His energy is phenomenal. He sang, he danced and he mimed for almost two hours without an interval. He covered his career from Space Oddity to Rebel Rebel and Diamond Dogs from his new album - currently the fastest-selling album here. But his new act is far more than a collection of songs - it's an elaborate and brilliantly staged show. Bowie came bouncing on in a black tee-shirt and white 50's rockers suit, complete with the Elvis knee-shaking. During the guitar break he disappeared, only to emerge on a balcony above the stage, wrapped in a huge overcoat gazing sadly into the distance. Then he whipped off his coat and jacket, and there he was in his baggy trousers and red braces - the circus clown!	His group are over on one side pumping out a strong tight sound - but they play no visual part in the show. They leave the whole show to Bowie and his two "dogs" - his two friends in black, who dance (not as well as him) and who provide occasional back-up vocals. In one song they danced around him, tying him up with ropes. And then as he broke free the ropes became a boxing-ring, and he shadow-boxed around the stage. After that the "dogs" brought on a stool and some spot-lights and he posed - the photographic model! And all the while he was singing better than ever before. One idea followed another. He sang Space Oddity bathed in a purple light, suspended by a crane 60 feet in the air. For The Jean Genie he grabbed a white hat and cane - Gatsby himself! The whole effect was overwhelming, and the audience looked on in amazement, not knowing what to expect next. It was the wildest thing to hit Montreal since the David Bowie-Marianne Faithful version of I Got You Babe was televised a few months back. Bowie tried something completely new - and succeeded. I only hope England gets a chance to see him soon. COLIN DAVIES
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